Adhesions following subtotal colectomy

From: Amy (kakramer@earthlink.net)
Mon Apr 17 15:34:25 2000


My daughter, who has Crohns Disease, recently underwent surgery for a small bowel obstruction caused by adhesions from a subtotal colectomy performed a few weeks ago. What was to be an hour long surgery turned into 9 hours, as the surgeon discovered her entire small bowel was covered with adhesions. His description was that it was as if someone had "welded" her small bowel all together. She now has a tube (shunt) running through her entire small bowel (which is now 2 feet shorter due to previous surgery and this one) which will allow the bowel to stay open as the adhesions inevitably form again. My question is, even if her bowel does not obstruct again is she going to be living with constant pain? Certainly she was in pain before they even discovered an obstruction, as the x-rays and Upper GI's did not show obstruction immediately, and she was in excrutiating pain for over a week before diagnosed. I'm trying to do all the research I can on adhesions etc. and I am not encouraged :( Has anyone ever heard of adhesions forming to this extent? Surgeon said he had seen cases "as bad" as my daughter's, but none worse.. not encouraging, either.

Enter keywords:
Returns per screen: Require all keywords: